Stump Stabbers both look and sound like scary insects, but they are actually gentle giants of the wasp world. In this article, we look more closely at these insects.
The Stump Stabber is better known as the Giant Ichneumon Wasp.
This freaky-looking giant insect with a long ovipositor might just be the perfect example of not judging someone by their appearance.
So today, let us tell you about the stump stabber wasp and the origin behind its name.
What Are Stump Stabbers?
A large wasp that looks straight out of a sci-fi movie, the Giant Ichneumon wasp, also goes by called a stump stabber.
People often mistake their 4-inch-long ovipositor for stingers and assume that they must be dangerous insects.
On the contrary, these wasps are unable to sting or bite humans. They do not harm us in any way.
They use the ovipositor to drill holes in trees to lay their eggs on a pigeon’s horntail. That’s where the name “stump stabber” and the rather unfortunate “stump fucker” comes from.
Let’s talk about why they do this.
Why Do They Bore Holes in Trees?
The stump stabbers have a strange but fascinating way of rearing their young.
Female stump stabbers use their antennae to track pigeon horntail and similar kinds of wood wasp larvae, who are the chosen hosts for these parasitoid larvae.
The wood wasp larvae are mainly found chewing away wood and rotting it from the inside.
The process of laying eggs starts with the mother stump stabber boring tiny holes in trees using their long ovipositors.
She precision drills the bark, and when she finally reaches the larvae, she slowly starts transferring her eggs from its body onto the pigeon horntails.
The eggs left behind hatch and start to feed on the horntail larvae.
They soon start growing larger and healthier, staying and pupating inside the wood throughout the winter.
This well-nourished new adult wasp emerges in the spring to carry on the life cycle of the stump stabbers.
What Do These Wasps Look Like?
A female stump stabber can grow up to 2 inches long. They have black, orange, or white strips on a reddish-brown body.
The ovipositor is an extension protruding out from the wasp’s body that can grow to at least 4 inches long.
The males do not have an ovipositor or a stinger, and they are only about half and inch in size.
What Does The Ovipositor Look Like?
The ovipositor of the female stump stabbers has evolved with the dual purpose of boring wood and laying eggs.
This long tube-like structure can reach upto 4 inches, going deep inside the wood.
The structure is divided into three main parts with interlocking strands and cutting tips.
The third part of the ovipositor is a tube that is used to transport the eggs from the wasp to the pigeon horntails.
Can Their Ovipositor Sting Humans?
If you notice the ovipositor of a stump stabber up close, it will look like a needle sticking out of the insect’s body.
But unlike the sting of wasps and bees, the wasp does not use it for stinging. And due to their three-part structure, it is not capable of stinging either.
The only purpose of the ovipositor is to drill holes into dead or rotten wood and deposit the eggs inside the trees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a wasp with a long tail?
Wasps with a giant tails are known as the long-tailed giant ichneumon wasp, scientifically called Megarhyssa macrurus.
The females’ ichneumons have some of the longest ovipositors, upto 4-inches long. These creatures are most commonly found in Missouri, USA.
What kind of wasps live in Washington State?
There are a few different types of wasps that you can find in Washington state.
Yellow jackets, hornets, and paper wasps are the most common of the lot. There are also mud daubers, which are solitary wasps and tend to keep to themselves.
Can ichneumon wasp lay eggs in human?
Wasps cannot lay their eggs in humans, in fact there is only one known parasitoid that can lay its egg in humans – the hookworm.
The nature of parasitoid wasps is that they lay their eggs on the bodies of host insects.
They prey on an insect, paralyzing them and laying their eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the already paralyzed prey and derive the required nutrition.
Are ichneumon wasps rare?
No. They are known by a unique name like ichneumon wasp, but these stump stabbers are extremely common garden insects.
They belong to one of the most common wasp species in the world. These species are 60,000 to 100,000 in the number living in different environments across different terrains.
Wrap Up
While they may look scary, stump stabbers are harmless and elegant creatures. They are also beneficial insects since they feed on pigeon hornworms that eat trees from the inside making them hollow.
So if you spot one in your garden, know that they are probably finding a place for their new house. You can safely live in peace with them around your garden.
Thank you for reading!
